Operation Underworld: How The Mafia And US Government Teamed Up To Win WW2

[lucas80]

I saw a short segment on some documentary a few months ago about the ocean liner SS Normandie catching fire in early 1942 and sinking while being retrofitted to carry troops at a dock in Manhattan. Coming so close after Pearl Harbor the immediate fear was that German saboteurs had gone after the ship, which was going to be needed to move soldiers to Europe. The Navy constructed a unique plan to enlist the Mafia, who controlled the docks in NYC to ensure their security. I found this book by Matthew Black in order to read up on the operation, and I just finished it.
It is a fascinating book filled with a lot of colorful characters. Most of the documentation comes from a post war commission that investigated the scheme, and some wiretaps that had surfaced because NY investigators caught Navy personnel on the phone with mobsters. The Navy destroyed all documents after the war when a scandal broke out over the operation. To its credit, the operation did help find a group of saboteurs who did land on Long Island, and it did ease the invasion of Sicily. It just hinged on working with thugs and killers.

 

[Jimmy McGill]

I saw a short segment on some documentary a few months ago about the ocean liner SS Normandie catching fire in early 1942 and sinking while being retrofitted to carry troops at a dock in Manhattan. Coming so close after Pearl Harbor the immediate fear was that German saboteurs had gone after the ship, which was going to be needed to move soldiers to Europe. The Navy constructed a unique plan to enlist the Mafia, who controlled the docks in NYC to ensure their security. I found this book by Matthew Black in order to read up on the operation, and I just finished it.
It is a fascinating book filled with a lot of colorful characters. Most of the documentation comes from a post war commission that investigated the scheme, and some wiretaps that had surfaced because NY investigators caught Navy personnel on the phone with mobsters. The Navy destroyed all documents after the war when a scandal broke out over the operation. To its credit, the operation did help find a group of saboteurs who did land on Long Island, and it did ease the invasion of Sicily. It just hinged on working with thugs and killers.

I had no idea about this. Thanks!

 

[83Hawk]

I saw a short segment on some documentary a few months ago about the ocean liner SS Normandie catching fire in early 1942 and sinking while being retrofitted to carry troops at a dock in Manhattan. Coming so close after Pearl Harbor the immediate fear was that German saboteurs had gone after the ship, which was going to be needed to move soldiers to Europe. The Navy constructed a unique plan to enlist the Mafia, who controlled the docks in NYC to ensure their security. I found this book by Matthew Black in order to read up on the operation, and I just finished it.
It is a fascinating book filled with a lot of colorful characters. Most of the documentation comes from a post war commission that investigated the scheme, and some wiretaps that had surfaced because NY investigators caught Navy personnel on the phone with mobsters. The Navy destroyed all documents after the war when a scandal broke out over the operation. To its credit, the operation did help find a group of saboteurs who did land on Long Island, and it did ease the invasion of Sicily. It just hinged on working with thugs and killers.

I heard about that, too. Lucky Luciano helped. In return his prison sentence was commuted and he was deported to Italy.

 

[lucas80]

I heard about that, too. Lucky Luciano helped. In return his prison sentence was commuted and he was deported to Italy.

Luciano was deported to Italy, where his rival Vito Genovese was hiding from a murder charge. Lot's of killing followed.

 

[lucas80]

There is a fascinating section of the book devoted to naval intelligence officers working in the operation breaking into a foreign embassy. The details have not been released, and I suppose they never will be. The operation employed agents who had lock picking skills, and other useful skills. They entered the embassy of what is only described as a Spanish speaking embassy. They broke in multiple times taking pictures of documents, including some plans for what would happen if their nation went to war with the Allies. I'm guessing Spain, but it could have been a nation from Central America or South America.
It is a wild story.

 

[SSG T]

Mafia related OT

A friend of ours when we lived in Joliet was on the gang unit in the Joliet PD. He told me that when the casino went in downtown, they had issues with bullet holes being found in the buildings in the morning.

After a few weeks of that, a couple of families in Chicago contacted the street gang leaders in Joliet (IIRC, there were 4, Black Gansters, Vice Lords, Brownstones, and I forget the 4th) for a meeting. What the informant told the police was that the mob told the street gangs that if another bullet hit the casino, for any reason from anyone, that Joliet would not have any gangs within the month.

I don't know how long it lasted, but I know for a long time they had no issues with the casino.

As an aside, our neighbor in the Cathedral District was made. He was a great dude, and his wife was a sweet woman (incredible cook, nothing like authentic, learned in Italy, Italian food). But man, I was both curious about what he'd done and wanted no knowledge of anything he'd done.

 

[TheCainer]

The Mafia also played a part in the Allies invasion of Sicily. They were not big fans of Mussolini and wanted him overthrown.

 

[lucas80]

The Mafia also played a part in the Allies invasion of Sicily. They were not big fans of Mussolini and wanted him overthrown.

It's in the book.

 

[SoDakHawk]

I thought this was common knowledge. The Mafia secured the docks on the Eastern Seaboard and worked with the US Government to do so.